BtW Book 01, Part 01: Convergence

"I suck. Full stop," M said, speaking up for the first time since he'd greeted them. He followed his words with a self-deprecating chuckle.

Talia and Yvonne both smiled. As nervous as she was, Kat was sure any smile she attempted would look like a bad case of indigestion, so she didn't even try.

"In any case, I don't think either of you is going to try and wreck the others' chances," Talia said. "You're both distinct enough from each other that you wouldn't be up for the same type of roles anyway, except in very specific circumstances. But as Ms. Lau has already highlighted, there is little about this audition that is run of the mill. So we're going to be testing that today. Among other things."

She took two thin stacks of paper bound at the spine and with covers of clear plastic, then slid them toward the edge of the table.

"You'll be reading from these," Talia said, indicating the scripts. "We'll be starting from page one, but we're going to be skipping around after the first scene. Ms. Tallman, to start you will read the role labeled 'S1.' Ms. Lau, you'll read the parts labeled 'D1.' Then you will swap roles. We'll proceed in similar fashion with the other scenes."

"We will, of course, be recording," she went on, pointing at the camera. "Your marks are denoted by the crosses on the floor. Ms. Tallman, you will be on my right, with Ms. Lau opposite. Please take a script and we will begin."

Yvonne moved toward the table and picked up a script. Kat followed suit, glancing quickly at the first page as she walked back, suddenly grateful that she had always been a decent speed-reader. She took her mark and waited; D1 had the first lines on the page, so Yvonne would be going first.

When she began, Kat realized almost immediately how much more experience the older woman had. Yvonne delivered the lines smoothly and confidently, assuming the role of authority outlined in the script as though she had been born to it.

Kat felt her stomach churn anew. If she did even half as well, it would be a miracle. But then it was her turn, and there was no longer any time to think, only act.

* * *

"Thank you both," Talia said, bringing the reading to an end. "That's all we're going to be needing today. Please hand back the scripts."

Yvonne walked over to the table and placed her script in front of Talia, then stepped back. Kat did the same, letting out a quiet sigh of relief as she went back to her chair.

It had been a grueling, draining, hour-and-a-half of back-and-forth: reading a scene with a pair of characters, swapping roles, re-reading, then moving on to a different pair. One scene, the second between S1 and D1, had been particularly emotionally-charged, with S1 expressing her feelings for D1, with the latter initially reluctant to reciprocate. It was only after an impassioned exchange that D1 had finally admitted that she too shared S1's feelings.

As with every other scene, they had swapped roles -- though playing D1 had felt off to Kat -- and moved on to the next. However, toward the end of the reading Talia had asked that they reprise that particular scene. It had been a little easier since they already knew the lines, but Kat privately wondered why Talia had called for a repeat. But hers was not to wonder why, she supposed. She was just glad it was over.

"Ms. Lau," Talia was saying, even as she handed Yvonne a sheet of paper, "Please confirm your contact information, then you may go."

Yvonne took the sheet, looked at it for a minute, then handed it back.

"All shipshape and Bristol fashion. Thanks for the opportunity."

Talia nodded and turned to Kat.

"Ms. Tallman, could you stay for a few minutes?"

"O-of course." Had she messed up? She must have messed up, if she was being asked to remain behind.

"I'll head out, T," M said, nodding to Talia as he gathered his things. "Going to get everything set up for later. Ms. Tallman, Ms. Lau." He gave each of them a nod in turn -- the flatscreen now displaying a friendly face -- then stood, walked around the table, and exited the room.

Yvonne tapped Kat on the shoulder.

"I'll be waiting outside."

"You don't have to."

"No trouble at all. Got no place to be," Yvonne shrugged. "We can do a late lunch. You look famished. Personally, I'm starving."

"Thanks."

"I won't keep her long, Ms. Lau."

"See you in a bit then," Yvonne said and left, closing the door behind her.

"Did I do something wrong?" Kat asked once they were alone, feeling for all the world as though she were back in school and facing detention. At least she thought that's what the feeling would have been like. She'd never had detention.

Talia clasped her hands together, resting them on the stack of papers in front of her. She shook her head.

"No. No you didn't. But I noticed your CV didn't list an agent."

"I don't have one."

Talia favored Kat with an arched eyebrow, then lowered her head as if in thought. It was a moment before she looked up and spoke again.

"It's not unheard of, certainly. But neither would I recommend the practice long-term. Not if you're serious about a career in this business. Are you?"

"I don't know yet. I was hoping to figure that out after my first gig."

Talia nodded and turned to her right, reaching into the bag at her side and rummaging briefly before pulling out a card.

"That's not unheard of either. If I may, I'd like to refer you to someone. You're free to find an agent on your own, of course." She handed Kat the card.

Kat took it, noting the simple yet elegant script and logo on the front.

"Baker, Eddington, Morton, Mueller, Pogue, & Randall?"

"I know that's a lot of names, but they're actually a small firm. Eileen Eddington is their entertainment lawyer. I want to make it very clear that their firm does not represent me, M, or Taika Studios. We have no other connection beyond the fact that people I know and trust recommend them very highly. Again, you are free to do your own research, arrive at your own conclusions, and make your own decisions."

"Thank you," Kat said, "For both the audition and the- the referral." She was about to turn around, but an impulse she couldn't put a name to made her pause and extend her hand.

A flicker of surprise crossed Talia's face, but was quickly gone. She extended her hand in turn and, just as their hands clasped to shake, their eyes met.

The moment was electric, at least for Kat. She was sufficiently surprised that she was barely able to prevent herself from jerking away. It was only with a conscious effort that she made herself grip Talia's hand in what she hoped was a businesslike fashion. Even so, Kat found she couldn't tear her eyes away from their shared gaze. It was as though she were drowning in the depths of those eyes and yet had no desire to break free.

"Ms. Tallman?" Talia's voice broke the spell. To Kat's consternation, the only thing she saw on Talia's face was puzzlement. "Are you all right?"

"Yes," she replied, then repeated herself. "Yes. Long morning. Didn't have much in the way of breakfast either." Acid reflux, that had to be it, made worse by her anxiety.

Talia nodded, breaking the handshake.

"Then perhaps you and Ms. Lau should go get lunch. As she mentioned."

"Probably should at that. Thank you again."

"You're welcome. Before you leave, please confirm that your contact information is accurate," Talia slid Kat's CV across the table. Kat looked at it, checked the relevant fields, checked them again, and nodded, handing the paper back.

"It's correct."

"Good. Should you decide to get representation, whoever you retain will know how to contact us to update your information."

"Understood." Kat turned to leave, but Talia's voice stopped her.

"One more thing, if you please."

"Yes?"

"How well do you know Ms. Lau? You seem...comfortable with each other."

"I met her outside," Kat replied, "Before the audition. A few minutes before you called us in."

"Oh?" Again the raised eyebrow. "Interesting. I won't delay your lunch any longer. Have a good afternoon, Ms. Tallman. We'll be in touch."

Kat nodded and left the room. As promised, Yvonne was outside, sitting in one of the near seats with her phone out and doomscrolling while she waited. She looked up as Kat shut the door.

"Everything okay? You look even more nervous than you did before we went in."

"She- Ms. Lane," Kat stammered, holding out the card, "Gave me a referral. To an agent-, lawyer."

Yvonne stood, walked over, took the card from Kat's hand, and looked at it.

"I've heard of them. Small, but good rep. Reasonable fees. For lawyers, anyway."

"Do you-"

"Do they represent me?" Yvonne shook her head as she handed the card back. "I use my family's lawyers. But don't you realize what this means?"

"What what means?" Kat asked, genuinely puzzled.

"She gave you a referral!" Yvonne's excitement was plain in both her face and her voice. "She has got to be seriously considering offering you a role. Otherwise, why bother?"

"But I didn't do all that well. You were way better than me."

"I've done this before," Yvonne said, beginning to walk toward the exit. Kat fell in beside her.

"Practically second nature by now," Yvonne continued. "You? You looked like you were about to stress-faint, but the second you got started, you just kind of, I don't know, got into the zone. You were just centered. Sure, you have a few rough edges, but I've never seen anything like it. Makes sense now."

"What does?" Kat asked absently, bemused both by her reaction to Talia and Yvonne's assessment of her performance. Even so, she still managed to open the door, holding it for Yvonne to pass through, then following.

"Near the end, when they asked us to repeat the confession scene, I saw her look at M. He looked back and nodded. It was the only time they took their eyes off us."

"You saw that? I was too busy trying to say my lines." Kat looked down as they descended the stairs, making sure of each step.

"I multitask really well," Yvonne replied, waving as if to say it wasn't anything special. "But the point is, people running auditions tend to do the whole poker face thing. So the talent doesn't know if they're doing well or not. But they reacted. And she gave you a referral."

"Okay," Kat said, "Let's say you're right and I'm getting a callback-"

"Role," Yvonne insisted.

"Callback. So where does that leave you?"

"It leaves me in like Flynn. I have a sense for these things. I mean, you made me look good. You'd make a hell of a reader, but that would be a total waste."

"I made you look good?," Kat protested, "You've got that backwards."

"Fine," Yvonne said, laughing, "We both made the other look good. Don't tell me you didn't feel the chemistry during the confession scene."

"I was too busy being scared shitless."

"Well believe me when I tell you that we had chemistry. Gave me chills, actually, and that's only happened a handful of times in my career. That's why they asked for a repeat. They wanted to confirm it wasn't a fluke. Combine that with that look, and well-"

Yvonne paused at the bottom of the stairs and grinned at her.

"I'm not a betting woman, but in this case I'm willing to bet both of us are going to get callbacks within, say, a fortnight. Mark your calendar."

"Wish I had your confidence."

"You need to believe in yourself more," Yvonne said, "You really do. Anyway, let's get lunch. I know this great little Filipino place a couple of blocks down. I'm buying."

"You don't have to. I have money."

"I want to. And by the way, call me Yun. All my friends do. And I think we're going to be great friends."

* * *

Yun was wrong. It didn't take two weeks. It took all of five days.

Kat was helping her mother clean up after lunch when her phone pinged, signaling the arrival of several messages. The first was a text from Yun, effusive and excited. She had gotten a callback and was wondering whether Kat had heard back from the studio. The second was an email from Eileen Eddington, confirming their in-person appointment for the following day. But the third was the one that Kat had hoped, but never reasonably expected, to receive.

She'd gotten a callback.